Editorial: Lead-footed drivers are safe for now

The city of Columbus is passing on the chance to restart a program that made city streets safer and spared from residents pain and property damage. The probable reason why is a shame.

The city of Columbus is passing on the chance to restart a program that made city streets safer and spared from residents pain and property damage. The probable reason why is a shame.

When Columbus installed red-light cameras at several crash-prone intersections a decade ago, right-angle crashes — the ones most likely to cause serious injury — dropped by 73 percent at those intersections.

But grumpy state lawmakers (including one ticketed in Columbus) saw the red-light and speed-ticketing cameras as a cash-grab to fatten municipal revenues and passed legislation effectively banning them in Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and other cities: The law required an officer be present at each camera-equipped intersection, tying up safety forces and city dollars the cameras were intended to conserve.

The consequences of the Statehouse edict were predictable: After Columbus’ cameras went dark, right-angle crashes at the affected intersections jumped back up by 29 percent.

Cities, however, now have a chance to employ the cameras again: Late last month, the Ohio Supreme Court found that the legislature had violated cities’ home-rule authority under the Ohio Constitution. Persistent lawmakers already are scouting for another legislative work-around, but cities shouldn’t simply roll over and play dead in anticipation of future Statehouse meddling: Put these safety devices back up and force the legislature to try to round up enough votes that are counter to the interests of their constituent cities.

Columbus, as the capital city, might be leading the fight. But a public-safety official says they have no plans to pursue red-light cameras — though Columbus had developed a model program and the cameras were provably preventing crashes and pedestrian injuries. Some red-light runners were caught on video (see below) blowing through intersections, including one near-tragedy where children scattered to avoid being hit.

The city isn’t giving an official reason, but we suspect its reluctance has to do with the city’s former red-light camera contractor and its City Hall lobbyist, John Raphael, having engaged in criminal activity that cast a taint over local officeholders. Raphael, freshly out of federal prison after pleading guilty to extortion, previously said the mayor and council were unaware of his activities, including passing campaign contributions to the Democratic party.

Once bitten, twice shy? If there’s another reason for their disinterest, they should explain it. Otherwise, elected officials should reconsider restarting the red-light program, to put public safety first.

Moreover, state Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, and his anti-camera colleagues should lay off their zealous determination to find another way to ban the cameras. Seitz proposes punishing cities that use cameras by reducing their local-government funding. “We have other tools in the toolkit that we plan to deploy when we get back in September,” he said, add that the fight over the traffic cameras “ain’t over by a long shot.”

His efforts are misplaced. The legislature could have a role to play in setting rules for the cameras’ use to prevent abuses and preserve the rights of those ticketed. Especially controversial are the placement of the cameras; they should be prioritized for dangerous intersections, which requires data. And officers should have greater discretion over whether those who turned right on red deserve a ticket. Seitz also astutely suggests that camera citations be handled through municipal court, not a city’s administrative “kangaroo courts.”

But cities have a responsibility for traffic safety, and state lawmakers shouldn’t get in the way. Neither should political squeamishness.

Columbus Dispatch

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.

Sister Publications

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
Times Reporter ~ 629 Wabash Ave. NW New Philadelphia, OH 44663 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service